PRDV007: Spreadsheets III: Presenting Data

We often use charts to organize our data and help our audience visualize information and grasp concepts more quickly. Choosing the right chart type depends on the message you wish to convey for the data you present. For example, use a pie chart to compare sales totals from a company's five or six branch offices. However, a pie chart will not convey sales trends over five years; a line or scatter plot is more appropriate for visualizing trends over time.

Completing this unit should take you approximately 3 hours.

This unit examines some more advanced styles of charts you can create in Excel and other spreadsheet programs. We discuss the scatterplot, which shows a correlation between two variables plotted on the x- and y-axis. We learn about linear fit, which creates a best-fit line and equation for your data. Next, we explore combination charts, which combine two different chart types into one to compare two different data sets.

Finally, we examine sparklines, which are tiny charts that fit into one cell, usually adjacent to the cell from which the data are derived. A sparkline graphically represents the number. When used in consecutive cells, sparklines create a visual way to differentiate numerical data so your audience can easily understand your message – they do not need a large chart embedded on the page, separate from the data.

Completing this unit should take you approximately 1 hour.

Presenters use graphics to clarify and convey information to their audience. Just as charts help explain complex data visually, graphics can highlight data you want your reader to understand. However, being cautious about using too many visuals is critical since they can overwhelm and distract from the vital information you want to share.

The Excel Insert Tab, shown below, is used to insert objects to enhance and highlight your data.

Figure 2: Excel Insert Tab

Completing this unit should take you approximately 2 hours.

Tables allow us to organize large amounts of information meaningfully and usefully when we do not necessarily want to produce a chart of the information. Excel tables have database properties that allow us to sort and filter data to answer specific questions and perform calculations. In this unit, we examine how to design and use tables and create pivot tables, which give statistical information.

Completing this unit should take you approximately 2 hours.

In this unit, we explore Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive. Google and Microsoft have made it easy for coworkers and friends to work together "in the cloud" to collaborate on online group projects by allowing them to share access to the same documents (Google Docs or Microsoft Word) and spreadsheets (Google Sheets or Microsoft Excel) and even work on the files simultaneously, such as during a conference call.

The software automatically updates the document or spreadsheet with each contribution, meaning only one document exists. Collaborators do not have to keep track of different versions, which can become confusing and unwieldy. Users can view previous versions of the file in the document "history" and replace the final document with an earlier version if necessary. The software indicates when changes to the document were made and the user who made them. These features make it easier for coworkers to track changes and identify and correct mistakes.

Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive are password-protected platforms that allow coworkers and approved individuals outside the group to access and store shared documents and spreadsheets. Users can create a robust system of folders and subfolders to organize files for individual and group access. The Google platform allows users to easily convert files between Microsoft and Google products and store them all on Google Drive.

Completing this unit should take you approximately 2 hours.

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Take this exam if you want to earn a free Course Completion Certificate.

To receive a free Course Completion Certificate, you will need to earn a grade of 70% or higher on this final exam. Your grade for the exam will be calculated as soon as you complete it. If you do not pass the exam on your first try, you can take it again as many times as you want, with a 7-day waiting period between each attempt.

Once you pass this final exam, you will be awarded a free Course Completion Certificate.